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Monday, May 25, 2009

My Bayshore Race Report

So I ran 2:14:28 officially at the Bayshore 1/2 marathon. :( Yes I missed my goal. But all and all, I'm happy with that time. Mostly because I gave it all I had. Partly because since it was the first time pushing myself at that distance, I really had no idea what to set as a goal and now I have something to measure myself up against. And a little bit, because somehow the chicken penne w/ light alfredo sauce I ate the night before I would later discover had a secret bean ingredient I was not aware. At least I can only assume this was the case because of the belching/gas that started shortly before the gun went off and plagued me throughout the entire race. (yep, I was that pleasant runner to be around. Is this way too much information? Let's leave it at that).

After a night of only about 2 hours of sleep, not because I couldn't get to bed early(11Pm & that's about as early as it gets for me), but because I can NEVER EVER sleep under the pressure to sleep (seriously, it doesn't matter if it's pressure because I've got to get up and do something the next day or pressure to get to sleep before my husband so as not to have to listen to a symphony of snoring. If there's any pressure, I don't sleep. I just lay there and say to myself "go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep...for HOURS. And the more I tell myself to go to sleep, the wider awake I get, but still I do it anyway). We (my mom was running the 1/2 too) hopped a bus to the start of the race just before 6AM to meet up with some friends. On the way, we noticed a little something we hadn't expected...hills. (why is it that I still haven't learned my lesson and never ever check the elevation map. WILL I EVER LEARN?)

So I mentioned this to our friends who are old Bayshore pros (they ran it last year) and one of them who shall remain nameless (Jen, Jen, JEN!) waves me off saying, "No, there are absolutely no hills anywhere to be found on this course. It's flat as a pancake. You don't run the same way the buses took you up here. Nothing to worry about." Ok so maybe I'm exaggerating a little here. I think what she actually said was more along the lines of "it's just a nice rolling course, but it's so scenic you won't even notice it."

Now there's not much you can do anyway when you're 13.1 miles away from where you left your car, but just FYI if someone uses the phrase "nice rolling course" realize what that means is yes, there will in fact be sucky stupid hills. And those hills WILL take there toll at some point.

So here's how my race went, pretty much as planned (except for two potty breaks...what the crack? I mean it was only 2 hours and I don't think I even took two breaks when I ran the Detroit Marathon which was much much much MUCH longer) Miles 1-4, loosening up about 10:30 per min miles which I knew I would have to make up for later(I needed a 10 min mile pace to hit my 2:11 goal), but still hanging on to the hope that the course was flat, I figured I could do it. Miles 4-8 were by far my best about 9:30ish give or take for each mile. Started to have things get a little rough 8-10 but still hovering right around 10 m/m. Then 10-12 were slowing down a bit, back to around 10 1/2 ish and I started to realize I was probably not going to hit my goal and began toying around with the idea that I would just give it up and walk that last mile + .1 in. I mean if I wasn't going to hit the goal who cares right? Only thing is this...I couldn't because of you guys. I mean how could I come back here and tell you all I missed 2:11 but I gave it all I had when my time was substantially slower. So then I started thinking, maybe I'd keep my time secret. But knowing you all too well, I figured somebody would just look it up and I'd be busted. So I pushed on.

But I was really needing to make a pit stop again and I spotted my chance to take one without having to wait in line so I went ahead and took it. That little pit stop seemed to rejuvenate me and then I became a little bit of a crazy woman (as if I'm not already). You see when I checked my watch I saw if I could run that last mile in around 8 1/2 minutes I would still hit my goal (well at least it would have been 2:11:59 or something like that, which in my book would count since I did not specify seconds). Now it's not like I have never run an 8 min mile. I have in fact a few in a row. But I've never tacked one onto the end of a 12 mile run. Perhaps it was a moment of delirium, I don't know, but I flat out decided I was going to do it. And for about 1/2 mile, shocker of all shockers I was. Then my legs revolted reminding me that ahh yes, I had run some hills, and quite frankly they refused to turn themselves any faster than about an 11-12 minute per mile pace no matter how hard I forced them and I began to fear that I would have to walk my sorry but to the finish line in front of my family and the roaring (or maybe more like purring by the time I got there) crowds. But then with only about the last .1 to go, there was my sweet husband, who had woken up at 2:30AM to drive 4 1/2 hours with my dad and my daughters to come see me run. So the legs kept turning and then onto the high school track for the last 200meters, there were my little girlies and my dad. And although my daughter was far more interested in the grass, than she was in my actual running she did ring her little cowbell a bit and yell go mommy (after my dad told her too), and so I ran a little faster, crossing the finish line at 2:14:28.

And that my friends was Bayshore, gorgeous (although I mostly look straight ahead and so therefore missed most of the stunning views of Grand Traverse Bay and the gorgeous houses) a little bit hilly in a slow "rolling" sort of way, lots of aid stations(watch out for that last one though b/c the highschool boys drink more than they hand out I swear), and lots of port-a-potties (although, can there ever be too many of those? I think not), not too heavy on the fan side until the end (but definitely a few spectators all throughout), and best of all Coldstone Creamery ice cream at the finish.

But the very best part of the whole weekend for me was that night after the race. I went to bed at 9:15PM and didn't get up until after 8AM the next day. Now I know this isn't a big deal to most, but I'm a mom and a mom of young girls, I rarely get to bed early and if I do I most often am going to get woken up sometime in the middle of the night with a potty emergency, bad dream, sudden reminder of something in my daughter's bedtime routine that she thinks I forgot (although usually I haven't) or a baby who's rolled herself into the corner of her crib which she's not happy about and can't quite figure out how to remedy, but even if I don't, you bet your booty I'm getting woken up very early. An uninterrupted full night of sleep is like Heaven on earth for me and I'll take it even if I have to run 13.1 miles to get it.

So now...I'm onto planning my Chicago Marathon training schedule. 4:30 is looking mighty ambitious to me right about now, but then again Chicago IS flat right?

'Til next time...

PS. My mom PR'D by about 6 minutes AND she stopped right at the end to try to get my daughter to give her a kiss...SHE'S A STUD! Way to go mom!!!

PPS. I do have a funny story for you (that I actually feel a little bit guilty about in all honesty), but that will have to come later as I'm still on vacation time and wanting to make at least a lame attempt at getting to bed early and getting some more rest. That and the fact that this is another long long post and your eyes probably need a break by now.

4 comments:

Wow- awesome job! (To you and your mom!)I have the same no sleep under-pressure thing! My trick is to listen to audio books on my ipod- preferable John Grisham, the guy that reads them has an ultra-soothing voice that puts me right out:) I may occasionally wake up with earbuds tangled around my neck, but I have strangled yet, so I feel it's worth it:)

Congrats on a fantastic race for you! Your time was awesome...I think there should be timing strips in front of all the porta potties so you could subtract those minutes from your chip time! OR AT LEAST give all girls a 2 minute potty time credit. Thanks so much for all your help and coaching/support and for getting me into all this in the first place. Bayshore was a beautiful race! Perfect weather and great organization. Yummy ice cream too..although your little sweetie ate most of mine! You ran a great race..be proud! Bring on the Crimm!

RunNana-My mom, a junior high teacher, and breast cancer survivor who started running when she was 54. You'll meet her in the comments. She reads every single post I write. Probably to make sure I stay out of trouble.

Mobile Mile Marker, Mighty Mole Man, Papa- My dad, who last year rode his bicycle 100 miles (at once) to see if he could, but's also gracious enough to lolligag around with me oh his bike, mark the miles and chase the pervs away on my long runs

RunSis- The one & only, my little sis. Marathoner in the making & the mom I hope to one day grow up to be